The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert ( 1994 ) R | Two drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 29 titles created 11 Mar 2011 a list of 27 titles created 05 Sep 2011 a list of 44 titles created 11 Apr 2013 a list of 49 titles created 22 Apr 2015 a list of 40 titles created 4 months ago Title: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) 7.5/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 18 nominations. See more awards » Videos Three drag queens travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town. Director: Beeban Kidron Muriel finds life in Porpoise Spit, Australia dull and spends her days alone in her room listening to Abba music and dreaming of her wedding day. Slight problem, Muriel has never had a date... See full summary » Director: P.J. Hogan A transgender punk-rock girl from East Berlin tours the U.S. with her band as she tells her life story and follows the former lover/band-mate who stole her songs. Director: John Cameron Mitchell A gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing moralistic parents. Director: Mike Nichols Joaquin (Polo Ravales), an unassuming fisherman, is forced to confront his homosexuality when his sex-starved wife Cynthia (Althea Vega) returns from her overseas job eager to get pregnant....

See full summary » Director: Joel Lamangan 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X In a suburb of London, young Jamie is escaping sport hours, to avoid being the victim of his comrades. Young Ste, his neighbor, is beaten by his father, and comes to sleep overnight. They discover new feelings, sleeping in the same bed. Director: Hettie Macdonald A maverick dancer risks his career by performing an unusual routine and sets out to succeed with a new partner. Director: Baz Luhrmann Bo is a transexual prostitute in Brussels who left home after being abused by her father. She's now in an abusive relationship with a neighbor and suspected by the police in a series of ... See full summary » Director: Francis Girod Lonely teenager Marc is secretly in love with Olaf, the cool boy-next-door. He dreams about a relationship with him, and when the two go camping, this dream seems to become reality for Marc... See full summary » Director: Marco van Bergen Tempers fray and true selves are revealed when a heterosexual is accidentally invited to a homosexual party. Director: William Friedkin Fernando, a.k.a.

Fernanda, a 19-year-old Brazilian transvestite, travels to Milan and becomes a prostitute to finance sex-change surgery. Fernanda dreams of becoming a "real" woman, but in ... See full summary » Director: Henrique Goldman A fictionalized account of what may have happened when John Lennon and Brian Epstein went on holiday together to Spain in 1963. Director: Christopher Munch Edit Storyline Two drag-queens (Anthony/Mitzi and Adam/Felicia) and a transgender woman contract to perform a drag show at a resort in Alice Springs, a resort town in the remote Australian desert. They head west from Sydney aboard their lavender bus, Priscilla. En route, it is discovered that the woman they've contracted with is Anthony's wife. Their bus breaks down, and is repaired by Bob, who travels on with them. Written by Randy Goldberg <goldberg@nymc.edu> She's back... Looking as gorgeous and outrageous as ever in a brand new frock.

See more » Genres: Rated R for sex-related situations and language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 10 August 1994 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Las aventuras de Priscilla, reina del desierto See more » Filming Locations: Most of the crew can be seen in the movie at some point. See more » Goofs When Mitzi and Felicia wake up the morning after they left Bernadette and Bob to get drunk, if you look at the shot out of the bus window of Bob and Bernadette, Bernadette's face is next to the cake. Once Mitzi and Felicia are out of the bus, Bernadette's face is on top of the cake. See more » Quotes Felicia : [to Tick and Bernadette] The only life I saw for the last million miles were the hypnotized bunnies. Most of them are now wedged in the tires. Filmed in Dragarama See more » Connections Performed by Peaches & Herb (as Peaches + Herb) Published by PolyGram International Publishing Inc. and Perren-Vibes Music Inc.

Courtesy Polydor International I'll never look at those three guys the same way again... 13 August 2003 | by quixoboy (Ottawa, Ontario) – See all my reviews ...and that's a GOOD thing. Basically, before I truly became aware of "Priscilla", I had only thought of its three central actors as just regular, boring guys who were fine enough at acting, but really weren't anything special. Wrong. I had heard about this mysterious movie once or twice, but had no idea who was in it, nor what it was about (beyond the rather vague concept of drag queens/transvestites), and when I decided to read more about it, and find out who was in the cast - SURPRISE! Guy Pearce (of whom I had had a bad first impression when I discovered him in that travesty "The Time Machine"), Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith himself!!!), and Terence Stamp (whom I don't think I ever saw in any films, but whom I still knew a fair bit about)! How genius is that? I had to see this to believe it, and when I did, I was not let down!

Beautiful scenes, costumes, dialogue and music made this probably one of the most interesting and memorable movie experiences of my life! I wasn't the least bit uptight about it (as some people were turned off by the flamboyant behaviour and distasteful jokes, which I found refreshingly great!), and delighted in the campy antics of this fantastic trio! It's a beautiful, feel-good comedy that I recommend to anyone with a catty sense of humour (and a VERY open mind). 54 of 66 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Super Reviewer ½ A bit Lord o' the Ringsy around the middle with all the traveling, but on the whole, a warm story about a lavender bus full o' drag queens and their journey of self-discovery and revival. Terence Stamp possesses amazing gravitas, Guy Pearce is louder than I've ever seen him but I can't really decide whether his performance is caricature or not, and Hugo Weaving's blue-lidded peepers are quite expressive. Alice Shen Super Reviewer Yes I'm thinking the exact same thing as you, how in dingo doo doo did they get Terence Stamp to do this?!.

Two drag queens and a transsexual embark on a road trip across the Aussie outback to Alice Springs in order to put on a show. Little do they know that the hotel they are headed for is managed by a woman still married to one of the trio. Well the drag queen still married to the woman knows, he just hasn't told his friends yet. The road trip idea isn't an original one that's for sure but turn it into a naughty drag act in the deserts of Australia and now you've got something. Sure enough the whole notion of doing something like this in the one country where homophobia and racism is not unusual and where men are men no question, is a brave move. This film relies heavily on stereotypes, almost every character is a sly, but some might say perceptive, stereotype on the real world. The three main characters played by Weaving, Pearce and Stamp are very likeable, mouthy, bitchy queens that put each other down like no ones business, yet they clearly do care about each other greatly. These three are played up for the camera naturally, made to look loud brash and extremely catty, nails at high noon, but its harmless fun. As for other characters or generalisations its obvious.

All the men portrayed in the outback are checkered shirt, cowboy hat, jean wearing butch types that look a bit grubby. You have the typical manly gruff Aussie female called Sheila and a gold digging, trashy strip teasing Filipino woman. The only character you would expect to be bigoted is Bob Hunter's character who looks it but turns out not to be. There aren't really any surprises in the film, most characters are exactly as you would expect them. As its set in the outback you do get the obligatory ideas before its even started, can't be helped, we have 'Crocodile Dundee' to thank for that folks. Despite the screaming stereotypes and scene similarities to other Aussie films of the time the film is a great comedy. Just the thought of a po-faced Stamp in drag complete with a flowing blonde wig and earrings bitch slapping Guy Pearce and continuously coming out with sarky derogatory remarks is enough to peak my interest. At the same time the film is very touching and sweet. On one hand you have Stamp's character trying to get over the recent death of her partner whilst also hoping to find herself again, middle aged, tired with her job and needing a new spark in her life.

On the other hand you have Weaving's character who is trying to balance his life between what he is on the inside, his friends and of course hoping/worrying if his son will accept him. Plus if his friends will accept him for having a semi straight secret life. This film along with another in the same year put Aussie film making on the map and has since created a huge cult following much like 'Rocky Horror'. Completely enjoyable ride no matter what your sexual orientation. A great soundtrack which doesn't go overkill with ABBA, superb performances from the main trio and with some truly gorgeous scenery/location work that I'm sure boosted tourism. Everybody wins with this one. Phil Hubbs Super Reviewer ½ [img] I cannot recall ever seeing a film that's even nearly as charming, or profound, as this hugely upbeat, hilariously camp, cult classic. Hugo Weaving, Terrence Stamp and Guy Pearce are drag queen transexuals, in a comedy movie, you simply cannot describe that premise in any way other than, absolutely genius. But in a lot of different ways, it's nothing like the film you would proably be expecting.

The film's narrative development progresses as it unfolds at a quick pace and changes the image of the trio effortlessly from a pack of hilarious, hugely likable comic personalities, to some saddened, ageing, troubled, emotionally frustrated human beings, who eventually end up in all sorts of unfortunate situations that at times I found quite overwhelming among other things. Such as the idea that the three terrific leads unforgivably missing out on many major award nominations, let alone wins, for their fantastically charismatic performances, is simply unbelieveable. Unlike most modern comedies it never runs out of steam, and all the way through I watched it with a smile firmly on my face. If anyone out there watched this film and had trouble finding even the very best gags hysterical, then your someone who is obviously without even the slightest sense of humour. A road trip movie that truly lives up to the title doesn't come around often, it's a real adventure that quite naturally prevents you from resisting to smile.

It's always fun annd thanks to it's relaxed yet comically capable cast, it's very well-skilled directorial talent, visually impecable landscapes, and it's bus named Priscilla, that makes for one unforgettable and uproaringly funny set piece, it's a film that remains in your thoughts and keeps you uplifted every time you think about it. It's simply the manifestation of film making energy, a humourous and heartfelt classic that is as colourful, beautiful and gratifying as the region it is set. Directors Cat Priscilla Queen of the Desert - Broadway | Tickets | Broadway | Broadway.com Priscilla Queen of the Desert This show has closed. Browse more shows you may also be interested in. Theater Priscilla Queen of the Desert tells the story of Tick, Bernadette and Adam, a glamorous Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian ... Video Read More What Is the Story of Priscilla Queen of the Desert?

Based on the popular 1994 film of the same name, Priscilla Queen of the Desert follows two drag queens and a transsexual who buy a run-down old bus (they call it Priscilla) and set out on a road trip across the Australian Outback when one of them, Tick, is invited by his ex-wife to perform his drag show at her far-away resort. However, Tick is hesitant to tell his friends, Bernadette (a former performing icon who’s best days are behind her) and Adam (a rambunctious young troublemaker), his own personal reasons for taking the trip. During their journey, the trio encounters an array of Australian citizens, some of who aren’t receptive totheir lifestyle, while strengthening their own friendship. Joyous, crowd-pleasing entertainment with eye-popping visuals and unexpected heart! Funny and fabulous. Review by David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter A rollicking crowd pleaser in sequins! Priscilla packs enough heart to leave audiences enthralled! Review by Steven Suskin from Variety Frequently Asked Questions about Priscilla Queen of the Desert What Is Priscilla Queen of the Desert Like?

Featuring dance and disco tunes from the likes of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Donna Summer, Priscilla is filled with incredibly imaginative and over-the-top costumes, drag makeup and dance numbers that maintain an energetic pulse throughout the show. A life size bus even moves around onstage. The drag queens alternate between providing their own vocals and lip-synching to the music, which is then sung by the shows “Divas,” a talented trio of beautiful and wildly costumed women. Despite the show’s campiness (be prepared for lots of glitter and boas), Priscilla still provides a deep story about the importance of friendship and family. Is Priscilla Queen of the Desert Good for Kids? Priscilla features messages of tolerance and acceptance, and is a great show for teenagers. However, certain scenes may be inappropriate for younger children. The witty trio enjoys hurling friendly insults at each other, several of which contain sexual innuendo and strong language. One supporting character simulates a racy act involving ping pong balls and there is a scene involving an attempted hate crime.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Why It Still Survives | Out Magazine The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Why It Still Survives The 20th anniversary of the iconic Australian road movie that took drag queens to the masses By Nathan Smith Fri, 2014-10-10 11:15 For many Americans, Australian cinema will always begin and end with the 1980s Crocodile Dundee series. Because Australia has always suffered the obscurity of its location and cultural disconnect from other international cinema markets, the lure of the swaggering leather-faced Paul Hogan taking on America had the cross-international appeal to make Australian cinema global. There are very few exceptions to this canon of crocodile hunters and the odd Mel Gibson flick, one of which was the 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, The Queen of the Desert. The film concerns a band of rejects, queers, and drag queens who set out on the open road in the harsh and arid Australian outback to hitch up their skirts and get groovy to Gloria Gaynor all the while learning a lesson or two about themselves.

As you recall, The Adventures of Priscilla tells the story of two men, Adam (Guy Pearce) and Anthony (Hugo Weaving), and fellow transwoman traveller Bernadette (Terrence Stamp) on a trip to the center of Australia to perform in a drag queen residency show. Originally, Anthony is offered the job to perform in Alice Springs alone but recruits the rather icy Bernadette — who recently lost her partner — and the obnoxious Adam to join him on this road trip. Each character has, however, concealed some secret before their expedition and we see their epic travelling paralleling the percolating emotional problems of our respective heroes and heroines. Priscilla, with its gaudy make-up, excessive sequins, and camp '70s tunes defined a decade of Australian cinema and truly opened up the filmic reservoirs for more mainstream and positive representations of diverse LGBT folks on screen. After a successful musical theater revival, and in light of the film's 20th-anniversary this year, it’s time to turn up the ABBA and return to this cult classic.

When the film first premiered, Priscilla was a welcome change from other queer texts, offering a more intimate and incautious account of one lovable band of queers from Sydney. Given the historical pathologization of the likes of gay men and transgendered individuals, the film offered a more intimate and dignified representation of this outcast crowd. One of the reasons for the success of Priscilla was due to the fact that it was made in Australia. Although a distant continent from Europe and North America, Australia cinema capitalized on Australian characters heading abroad and had already generated alternative characters who thrive – somewhat comically, somewhat movingly — in their new homes abroad or new worlds (think Dundee). In the case of Priscilla, international audiences came to worship the extravagantly carnivalesque sights of two men and a transgender woman jettisoning across Australia’s dry and unforgiving deserts to bring the cosmopolitan cityscape to the countryside. Hugo Weaving in 'Priscilla' Any road trip film, whether queer or otherwise, offers its audience the promise of change, transition, and some type of momentous epiphany that we as viewers move along with during the screen time (both emotionally and with the film itself).

Priscilla proves no different and has our hero/heroines involved in familiar and emotional suburban stories (meeting up with an estranged son or losing a partner) during their journey, while battling the unforgiving and unaccepting homophobic and transphobic communities across the Australian landscape. As for context, the 1990s offered a time of (brief) relief for the queer community, as the devastating costs of the HIV/AIDS epidemic momentarily subsided in the wake of developments in anti-retroviral medication and the growing acceptance of gay men and trans folks. It was a time for recollection and a return to the camp and dated indulgences of the liberated and promising 1970s that the AIDS epidemic so brutally stole from the LGBT community during a decade plagued by stigma and shame. While the film avoids any detailed and direct discussion of HIV/AIDS in gay communities, it does importantly remind audiences of the lingering impact of the crisis when we see the eponymous “Priscilla” mobile home graffitied with the tag “AIDS FUCKERS GO HOME” during one unsuccessful stay in a small country town.

But in true gay liberation style, the bus is rebranded with a luscious pink lick of paint and proudly journeys onwards. This is why Priscilla so wonderfully and so aggressively worked in the 1990s and succeeded in showing us the trauma and strength that the rich gay male (drag queen or otherwise) culture can offer for the transcendence and psychic relief from the pain of daily stigmatised life. There are times when we should simply celebrate and embrace the awfulness of our pop culture histories — and spinning around in heels to ABBA’s “Mamma Mia” (before the Meryl musical) is just one way to do so. Rewatching the original trailer alone aligns Anthony, Adam, and Bernadette with 1940s Hollywood film genres around stars, classic Hollywood cinema, and the glamorous camera “close up.” Between lip-synching sessions of Alicia Bridge’s seminally '70s song “I Love the Nightlife” and Vanessa Williams’ melodically uplifting “Save the Best for Last,” the queens of Priscilla exploit the camp potential in their performances while importantly underscoring the loneliness and isolation their colourful careers bring.

In reassessing the film for its 20th anniversary, however, one does see the problematic racial and sexual politics operating in Australia at this time. Scenes where we see characters ironize the coquetry of '90s video store culture — such as flirting with the attendant about the availability of The Texas Chainsaw Mas-cara — are satisfying in their campness. But other moments are riddled with racism, especially concerning the non-white figures of the film. Although gay men and transgendered individuals have suffered the stigma of the heterosexual society at large, the three character’s whiteness is a fact taken for granted. Their sexual and gender orientations are what lead to their pathologization and brutal homophobic and transphobic battles across Australia. Commentators on existing gay communities and gay culture at large have pointed out its overwhelming whiteness — that is, gay communities and cultures are mostly defined by white men enjoying the company of other white men, seeking to their rights of marriage, equality, and social equity.

While this is a longer dialogue to be had elsewhere, it is important to see that the film Priscilla is no different from other “gay films” that continued to marginalize other races, despite these queers facing their own stigma and shame throughout the course of their journey. Women fare no better, and although we see song after song by a woman sung or imitated by the likes of Vanessa Williams or the ABBA idols during their cross-country trip, the actual women they encounter are painted with an excessively patriarchal brush. One woman in particular, Cynthia, is a Filipino woman who is portrayed with negative stereotypes many white Westerns hold of Asian women: She's a mail-order bride because she offers her straight, swaggering husband sex and domesticity. In one memorable scene, she “pops” out ping-pong balls (while winking at the camera, no less) from one particular sexual organ to a crowd of drunken and crude applauding men at the pub who each compete to catch the wet, flying cannon ball (that scene has been recreated in the stage show, without much complaint).

Women in Priscilla seemed threatened by the presence of two men imitating women and one transwoman (who transitioned from male to female) when they enter their town’s public spaces. In a terrifying moment, we see Bernadette cut down by one thunderously butch woman who abuses them and orders the drag crew to leave the local bar. However, not before long, in a terrifically bizarre turn of events, we see Bernadette and the woman enter a drinking contest with her while a raucous of straight men in the pub cheer on the defiant Bernadette to a victorious end. This is only one of many of their encounters during their journey into the Australian outback and although these “meets” and “stop-offs” work with the road trip template, and suggest the maturing growth of our heroes/heroines, they do not fare well on those folks who are defined purely for their sexuality or their value as validating existing stereotypes. Whether or not the females or racially diverse counterparts should have been represented more complexly and intimately is perhaps a discussion to be continued elsewhere. Years later, Priscilla spawned a successful theater and Broadway revival that has received universal acclaim for its glamour, gaudiness, and sheer gayness.

(So much so, Bette Midler was one of the producers of the 2011 Broadway season.) This speaks volumes to the impact this little Australian LGBT movie has had across a diverse number of artistic mediums — theater, music, and ultimately cinema (with the American equivalent to it To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar made a year later, in 1995). Unreservedly, Priscilla’s attempt to mainstream the lives of LGBT figures who work within an underrepresented industry and live in an underprivileged and shamed underclass, is an earnest and significant one. The fact that the film has endured for 20 years and still continues to have a high circulation value as a “cult classic” in gay male subcultures (whether through the soundtrack, the Broadway show, or even just the film itself) speaks to its importance as a text that attempted to represent more authentically bisexual, gay, and transgender stories to an audiences that were mostly unfamiliar to these plights.

While there has been a chorus of cries that the richness of gay male culture is on its way out since gay bars are no longer as popular as they used to be, or that gay idols are speaking to directly to gay causes and no longer through subtext (Lady Gaga, anyone?), Priscilla’s endurance speaks against this proclamation. Although the film represents only one aspect of gay culture — drag queen life, Donna Summer songs, and the sowing and stitching of sequins — its success during the last twenty years has only underscored the desire audiences have had to savour the campness and queen-ness that excess, nostalgia, and drag queens can provide. Nathan Smith is an MA student at the University of Melbourne Australia, specializing in queer and cinema studies. His work has been published in Salon, The Advocate, and Out.

Nathan can be found tweeting @nathansmithr ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert’ on Broadway - Review - The New York Times The New York Times Theater Reviews |With Song in Heart, Pompoms on Head Search Theater Reviews | Theater Review | 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' With Song in Heart, Pompoms on Head Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical Broadway, Gay and Lesbian, Comedy, Musical Closing Date: June 24, 2012 Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway Continue reading the main story Photo An outback kickline in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” the musical based on the 1994 movie about three Australian drag queens on an epic road trip. Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Every conceivable surface has been decked with sequins, spattered with colored lights, plastered in mirrored chips or trimmed in feathers and fringe in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” the new musical that shimmied open Sunday night at the Palace Theater. Probably a few inconceivable surfaces have been accessorized with equally exotic detail, but I hesitate to inquire.

Adapted from the 1994 movie about three Australian drag queens on an epic road trip through the outback, this hyperactively splashy show wants so desperately to give audiences a gaudy good time that the results are oddly enervating. Instead of ecstatic high-midnight, when the dance floor is packed and the energy in the room hits a peak, Broadway’s newest karaoke-inspired musical more regularly evokes the later, more dispiriting hours at a nightclub, when the D.J. is on autopilot and only the really hardened club crawlers are still churning away. Originally produced in Australia and still running in the West End of London, “Priscilla” combines the campy sentimentality about drag life epitomized by “La Cage Aux Folles” (currently in revival on Broadway) with a singalong soundtrack spanning a bewildering array of pop from at least three decades. It’s the kind of mix you might find blaring from the jukebox in a Florida gay bar if patrons of varying ages and argumentative tastes were on hand: everything from Dionne Warwick to Donna Summer and the Village People, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Pat Benatar.

Let’s not forget the contribution from that immortal dance-floor diva John Denver. But while it is performed with gleaming verve and infusions of bawdy humor — Tony Sheldon, who has been with the show from its Australian debut, is particularly winning as the gracious-lady transsexual Bernadette — “Priscilla” feels monotonous and mechanical. It lacks the narrative complexity of “La Cage” (egad, did I just write those words?) and isn’t as impishly clever as guilty-pleasure indulgences like “Mamma Mia!” and “Xanadu,” similarly ditzy musicals inviting audiences to take a mindless boogie down memory lane. Continue reading the main story The “Priscilla” film, written and directed by Stephan Elliott, was also a fairly synthetic mash-up of road movie and fish-out-of-water tale.

Its chief distinction, aside from the novelty of watching Terence Stamp play a transsexual, was the madcap, Oscar-winning wardrobe dreamed up by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner, who recreate their greatest hits for the stage version: the gargantuan club-kid rubber platforms, the topiary headpieces, the hot-pink-and-orange sheath constructed entirely of flip-flops. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Mr. Elliott also participates in the stage version, as co-author of the book with Allan Scott. As in the movie a Sydney drag performer, Tick (Will Swenson), professionally and personally known as Mitzi, receives a stern summons from Marion (Jessica Phillips), the wife he left back in the sticks, who is determined to bring about a meeting between Tick and the son he has never known. (The stage version is less coy about the details of Tick’s past.) Happily for all, Marion runs a casino in remote Alice Springs, and invites Tick to put on a show. He recruits two performing pals to join the trek, without telling them of his ulterior motives: Bernadette (Mr.

Sheldon), a mostly retired veteran of the drag scene who views the trip as a useful distraction from his grief over the death of his young lover; and Felicia (Nick Adams), a hard-bodied mischief maker whose barbed repartee with the disapproving Bernadette constitutes a large chunk of the book. Stocking up on wigs and heels, they pile into a bus acquired by Felicia with the help of his mother’s checkbook. Priscilla, as they christen their lavishly appointed means of transport, twirls around at center stage for much of the show, its walls serving as video screens for fancy digital light shows or flapping upward to expose the improbably deluxe interior, where the ladies swig cocktails and trade acid quips. Twirling around Priscilla as she makes pit stops both intentional and accidental is a chorus line zipping between roles in camp fantasy numbers — one features a kick line of glittery paint brushes, another a stage full of twirling cupcakes — and as local toughs in greasy denim. These hicks are alternately won over or antagonized by the exotic fauna descending on their dusty towns.

Swimming down from the flies or sliding in from the wings are a trio of specialty singers (Jacqueline B. Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey and Ashley Spencer) who sing the songs to which the men often lip-sync, a busy and bizarre effect for a live musical. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up Privacy Policy Like Priscilla the bus, “Priscilla” the musical moves in fits and starts under Simon Phillips’s direction, trundling along as a series of interchangeable, aggressively rambunctious dance routines interspersed with catfights and scenes of moist sentiment in which bonds are forged and secrets revealed. (The choreography by Ross Coleman is mostly uninspired music video-style calisthenics.) It doesn’t help that the songs are often awkward fits for the dramatic situation, a man’s size 12 foot trying to look smart in a delicate Manolo Blahnik heel. At the emotional climax, Tick and his young son duet on “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Always on My Mind.” It’s a little ludicrous.

The performers do their best to spritz some humanity on the proceedings. Mr. Adams doesn’t have much to do other than vamp in flesh-baring costumes and wail an evening’s worth of Madonna cover songs, but he knows his way around a bitchy wisecrack. Mr. Swenson, shorn of the hippie curls he sported in “Hair,” flashes his naughty smile and buffed limbs with precision, and tones down the histrionics for the scenes in which Tick confesses to his pals the awkward truth about the kid and wife back home. (Although in the years since the movie was released, it has become commonplace for gay men to have children, making Bernadette and Felicia’s pearl-clutching reactions questionable.) The most rewarding role belongs to Mr. Sheldon, who brings an authentic note of dignified grace to his performance as Bernadette. His mothering of both the troubled Tick and the potentially self-destructive Felicia feels honest, and Mr. Sheldon has a way of inflecting the book’s litter of catty zingers with refined nuances that make them feel smarter and fresher than they probably are.

But any flickers of warmth and true human feeling in “Priscilla” are either obscured by another onslaught of gyrating dancers or squashed flat by a giant platform heel. After a while even the festive parade of outlandish costumes, among the show’s more reliably entertaining diversions, begin to feel stale and overworked. At the extended curtain call — aptly set to the catchy ’90s dance floor anthem entitled “ Finally ” — you are likely to feel slightly dazed and stultified, as if you’d been conked on the head with a disco ball. PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., written by Mr. Elliott, produced by Al Clark and Michael Hamlyn; directed by Simon Phillips; choreographed by Ross Coleman; music supervision and arrangements by Stephen (Spud) Murphy; production supervisor, Jerry Mitchell; bus concept and production design by Brian Thomson; costumes by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner; lighting by Nick Schlieper; sound by Jonathan Deans and Peter Fitzgerald; orchestrations by Mr.

Murphy and Charlie Hull; music coordinator, John Miller; music director, Jeffrey Klitz; technical supervisor, David Benken; production stage manager, David Hyslop; flying by Foy; makeup design by Cassie Hanlon; associate director, Dean Bryant; associate choreographer, Andrew Hallsworth; associate producer, Ken Sunshine; general manager, B. J. Holt; executive producer, Alecia Parker. Presented by Bette Midler; James L. Nederlander; Garry McQuinn; Liz Koops; Michael Hamlyn; Allan Scott; Roy Furman/Richard Willis; Terry Allen Kramer; Terri and Timothy Childs; Ken Greiner; Ruth Hendel; Chugg Entertainment; Michael Buckley; Stewart F. Lane/Bonnie Comley; Bruce Davey; Thierry Suc /TS3; Bartner/Jenkins; Broadway Across America/H. Koenigsberg; M. Lerner/D. Bisno/K. Seidel/R. Gold; Paul Boskind and Martian Entertainment/Spirtas-Mauro Productions/MAS Music Arts & Show; and David Mirvish, in association with MGM On Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber.

At the Palace Theater, 1564 Broadway, between 46th and 47th Streets; (877) 250-2929; ticketmaster.com . Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes. Advertisement Continue reading the main story WITH: Will Swenson (Tick/Mitzi), Tony Sheldon (Bernadette), Nick Adams (Adam/Felicia), C. David Johnson (Bob), James Brown III (Jimmy), Nathan Lee Graham (Miss Understanding), J. Elaine Marcos (Cynthia), Mike McGowan (Frank), Jessica Phillips (Marion), Steve Schepis (Farrah/Young Bernadette) and Keala Settle (Shirley), and Jacqueline B. Arnold, Anastacia McCleskey and Ashley Spencer (Divas). Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical Palace Theatre · July 21, 2016 · We are about to enter our final weekend of performances of Priscilla. Don't miss your chance to see this incredible show! As a bonus, this Saturday we will have ASL interpreters for all of our hearing impaired friends out there!

As our incredible conductor Nathaniel Robert Flake said, "fun, danger, growth, family, acceptance, at a time when we most need to spread the message of love. Help us celebrate an incredible run by jumping aboard the bus and dancing through this iconic adventure! " Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical - this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday matinee at 2 pm. Tickets are still available at or at the door. Life is an adventure. Dress accordingly! #ABQPriscilla Do you have your tickets yet? nhccnm.org There are plenty of reasons why you should... here are a few! Below is snippets from our Rave review from New Mexico Entertainment Magazine! ... '...Chris Wright-Garcia as Tick / Mitzi, brought a sense of pride and vulnerability...His angelic voice was a perfect pairing...' '...Nicholas Handley... the role of Adam / Felicia Jollygoodfellow fits him like a glove...' '...Phillip Arran, who was part of the original West End cast of Priscilla, IS Bernadette.

He lives and breathes this role...' '...Thane Kenny as Bob was an amazing talent...' '...Joe Moncada as Miss Understanding set the tone for the show, letting the audience know they are in for a good time...' '...Jessica Osbourne showed me more range than I thought was possible. She had me laughing through the whole show and if she wasn’t making me keel over in laughter, her voice, especially in “I Say A Little Prayer”, was making me give praise...' ...'One of the surprise moments was the cake scene - trust me, pure splendor. I was also excited to see a special appearance from Ken Ansloan himself in a well-thought out memory. Also, the addition of having a live orchestra to carry the music of the show was a refreshing change for The Dolls’ and paid off... The Dolls’ not only fulfilled a dream but executed it well...' ~ '...The set production was very creative... came up with great ways to give the audience the “feel of Australia” and the iconic bus we remember... The costumes were fabulous - as grand and over the top as I remember - and the lighting... fit every scene. As for the vocals...

the cast proved that this was their greatest strength.' get your tickets now! #abqpriscilla

Question: What was Priscilla in Priscilla of the Desert
Answer: A bus